Peace activist Frank Cordaro, 60, was among 12 people arrested Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, at the Renaissance Savery hotel in downtown Des Moines for trespassing as part of an Occupy the Caucuses protest. (Matt Woolbright / For the Register)

Fifteen protesters affiliated with Occupy the Caucus were arrested Monday, 12 at the Renaissance Savery hotel in downtown Des Moines and three before a Mitt Romney campaign event in Clive.

About two dozen demonstrators, some with dollar bills taped across their mouths, lay down on the Savery lobby floor in the afternoon to protest the role of corporate money in politics, as well as President Barack Obama’s signing of the National Defense Authorization Act.

Protesters joined a chorus of civil liberties and human rights groups in criticizing the law, which could allow for the indefinite detention of Americans by the military. The law also includes a provision for economic sanctions against Iran intended to pressure the country to scrap its nuclear weapons program. Obama expressed reservations about the bill’s provisions when he signed it into law on Saturday.

About 50 people filled the lobby of the hotel for the protest, which organizers called a “die-in.”

Police started making arrests about 30 minutes later, but not before some arriving hotel guests and a Jimmy John’s sandwich delivery person sidestepped the mass of people lying on the floor. Protesters were cited and released, police said.

Late Monday in Clive, protesters went to the last campaign stop of the day for Romney. According to Occupy spokesman Stephen Toothman, a group of demonstrators were asked to leave before the event at Competitive Edge began. Three were arrested.

Romney’s fans quickly drowned out other hecklers who attended the beginning of the rally and chanted, “Stop the war on the poor!”

They were immediately overwhelmed by hundreds of audience members chanting “Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!”

After a couple of rounds of shouting, the protesters were led out by police.

Occupy Des Moines members said the people who were arrested had caused no disruption. Both Clive police and Competitive Edge President David Greenspon adamantly denied an allegation in an Occupy news release that Kaylynn Strain, 45, of Des Moines, a Muslim woman who wears a hijab, was targeted by business representatives or police.

Clive Police Sgt. Damon Herzog said protesters were cooperative and officers had no issues. He said officers removed protesters after they were asked by the business owner.

Greenspon said that Competitive Edge asked officers to make sure protesters left, and that any arrests would have been the result of demonstrators not complying.

The demonstrators have targeted Romney three times in the past week, saying he should not accept campaign contributions from corporations.

Protests at the Des Moines-area campaign offices of Obama and Republican candidates started Wednesday, and have resulted in at least 61 arrests, organizers said.